The present invention relates, in general terms, to improvements in anchors or means for anchoring. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to an improved form of anchor suitable for use in a variety of different contexts, for achieving effective anchoring regardless of the nature of the holding (be it sand, rock, coral or the like), whilst preferably at the same time allowing for ready release and re-setting of the anchor as and when desired.
For ease of explanation, throughout the ensuing specification reference will be made to an especially preferred embodiment of an anchor in accordance with the present invention, to be utilised for the purposes of anchoring a boat or the like water-borne vessel at any give locale. It should be realised, however, that an anchor in accordance with the present invention is equally suited for other purposes than for the mooring of boats, as by way of example the permanent or temporary mooring of buoys, drilling rigs and/or the like.
In particular the present invention relates to an improvement in the anchor disclosed in the present applicant's Australian Patent No. 734943.
The situation often arises wherein there is a need to anchor or moor boats, buoys, drilling rigs and/or any other form of vessel or water-borne body, either permanently or temporarily, in a given position or at a given locale. That need may, in turn, give rise to problems in that, dependent upon circumstances and the actual location, it has become necessary to anchor or moor such vessels or other bodies in different types of holdings. An anchor which might be particularly suitable for one type of holding, as for example sand or mud, need not be appropriate for another, different type of holding, as for example rock or coral. It has sometimes been the practice for the vessel owner/user to utilise a different form of anchor dependent upon the nature of the holding. Up until recently, prior to the advent of the present applicant's SARCA (Registered Trade Mark) anchor, the subject of Australian Patent No. 734943, there had not been available a multi-use, multi-purpose anchor. In the result, and in order to achieve the best or optimum anchoring result, a different form of anchor would often need to be deployed dependent upon the nature of the holding. That fact alone gave rise to problems, regardless of the size of the water-borne vessel, craft or the like to be anchored or moored. By way of example only, it was not particularly efficient to have the vessel or craft operator required to change the anchor to a different type dependent upon circumstances and the nature of the holding expected below, this especially taking into consideration the possible problems associated with the task of physically replacing one type of anchor for another. In this day and age, where it has become a reasonably common practice to have inexperienced persons in charge of vessels, such a task can be extremely difficult, with the consequences of its not being done properly potentially dangerous.
Conventional anchors, if disturbed, can tend to roll over and thereafter be disposed on the ocean/sea/river/lake bottom (or other holding) incorrectly, in effect the wrong way up. In reality prior art anchors, when so disturbed, would lie on their side and have a tendency to stay that way. Quite clearly when so disposed or deployed the efficiency of operation of the overall anchor can be expected to be significantly reduced, a totally unacceptable result. Furthermore, when so deployed there may be a tendency for the anchor to be dragged across the holding, giving rise to disturbance of sand, mud, dislodgment of rock unwanted, destruction of coral etc. Such can have a deleterious effect on the overall environment and, if the relevant vessel is being used, for example, for purposes of angling or fishing, such a disturbance to the holding/ocean bottom is again undesirable, since it can be expected to disturb the local sea-life, thereby reducing the chances of anything being caught.
A further problem/disadvantage associated with anchors in accordance with the known art has related to the tendency or possibility of such anchors inadvertently working their way free from the holding, regardless of the nature of such holding. Once an anchor works itself free from its holding, then the vessel associated therewith is totally susceptible to the vagaries of the tides, weather, etc. This can be especially unfortunate if, for example, the crew or passenger(s) of the vessel or craft are not aware of the fact that the anchor has worked loose, as for example if they are suitably inexperienced sleeping or otherwise occupied. An unanchored vessel can drift alarmingly, dependent upon the tides and prevailing weather conditions, leaving itself liable to all sorts of consequences, as for example beaching, being swept onto rocks or reefs, etc, all such consequences involving significant danger to the occupants of the vessel.